Mark Kirk endorses gay marriage

Sen. Mark Kirk bucked most of his fellow Republicans on Tuesday, becoming the second GOP senator to publicly endorse same-sex marriages.

“When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others,” The Illinois senator said in a statement. “Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back— government has no place in the middle.”